Delivering his judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that the officers produced by the National Convention are recognized officials of the party.
According to him, the election was conducted in line with the party’s Constitution, saying the National Convention held at the Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, was supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Reacting to the judgment, the National Chairman of the AA, Adekunle Omo-Aje, described it as an end to the leadership crisis in the party.
He said, “This case was not initiated by Kenneth Udeze, it was Ukadike Chinedu and Amb. Abdulrasheed, the former National Secretary of the Party, and Esther Esevohare, the Former Women Leader. They are the ones who took me and my National Executives to this court, about our National Convention.
“I commend the judiciary for its uprightness. I agree with the position of Justice Omotosho that there should be an end to litigation.”
He further commended the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission during the pendency of the suit, stressing that together they can deepen democracy in Nigeria.
Some members of the Action Alliance (AA) had sued Adekunle Omo-Aje, the party’s national chairman, over the conduct of the national convention.
The aggrieved members led by Ugochukwu Ogbuji, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, filed the suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Ogbuji said the National Convention ought not to have been conducted since the tenure of the National Executive Committee (NEC) members was yet to expire.
He explained, “They went to Olusegun Obasanjo’s Library in Ogun State on October 7, 2023, and did what they called selective election without the consent of the National Working Committee (NWC) and NEC of the party.
“There was no meeting that was held that the NWC took a decision that we should have a national convention.”
Ogbuji alleged that some of those who attended the convention were not members of AA.
Written By Amos Tauna